The trip to Semmozhi Poonga now costs more
Walkers send a petition to the CM’s Cell and Agriculture Secretary seeking a revision of the fee
A visit to the Semmozhi Poonga, the botanical gardens on Cathedral Road, has become more expensive. The Department of Horticulture-Plantation Crops has increased almost every fee levied on a user using its sprawling green space for any activity.
The entry ticket, parking charges, fee on use of camera and video and even the fee for walkers have been increased three to four times.
An entry ticket that was priced at ₹25 has now been increased to ₹75 for an adult. Fee for a child is ₹40.
The fee for parking will also keep going up after the first two hours. While parking for cars is ₹100, it ₹20 for two hours for two-wheelers.
So, a family of four coming to the poonga in a two-wheeler spends ₹250 towards entrance ticket and parking fee. Many are unhappy with the steep increase and have vented out their disappointment to the Department staff at the park.
A section of walkers have shot a petition (signed by many walkers) to the Chief Minister’s cell and the Agriculture Secretary. Walking fee that was earlier ₹ 200 a month is now ₹500. The display board also states that 6 a.m. to 9 a.m as the stipulated walking hours.
S. Satish Kumar, a resident of Royapettah, says all tariffs have been increased by over 150% which will discourage walkers from using the space for their morning or evening walk. “There are some who are thinking of moving to other open spaces such as the beach,” says Satish.
When Senganthal Poonga in Gopalapuram started undergoing renovation work, walkers were asked to move to Semmozhi Poonga. There are at least three to four informal WhatsApp groups where walkers bond over all things fitness.
Deeba C. Devi, a resident of Nungambakkam, says many parents drop their children to school and stop at the park for a brisk walk free from the chaos on the roads. “The hike on walkers’ fee is not justified as most of us walk for an hour or so and leave,” says the parent.
Officials of the Horticulture Department at the park agree many have objected to the steep hike. They say the revision is happening after three years and was decided by a committee, and the poonga authorities started implementing it since July 16.
Spread over many acres, the garden, on an average, receives 400 people during week days and more than 1,000 during weekends.
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